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Study Finds Ants and Other Insects Are NYC’s Tiniest Garbage Men

Ants can be a serious nuisance
when they make their way indoors, but it turns out that outside
ants in urban areas are actually quite beneficial. A
new study from North Carolina State found that ants and other
arthropods such as beetles and mites eat up tons of garbage in the
streets of Manhattan, effectively disposing of city trash.

The study set out rodent-proof cages full of hot dogs, cookies
and potato chips around Manhattan for 24 hours. When they returned,
as much as 85 percent of the food had been disposed of by
arthropods.

The researchers said the study also illustrates the ability of
insects and other organisms to adapt and evolve to human-dominated
habitats and they pointed out that it's possible ants may be
limiting rodent populations by competing with them for crumbs and
other food waste.

Invasive Species News Video

Many invasive species, or pests of foreign origin, have become established in the United States. Watch this video to learn more about brown marmorated stink bugs, spotted lanternflies, Asian longhorned ticks and more.